Off the Track
by ALKava
Summary: Ludwig Beilschmidt is in a failing marriage and one day he meets an enegetic Italian named Feliciano Vargas who brightens up his life. As his life falls apart he finds himself growing closer to Feliciano. GermanyXN. Italy, AU *IMPORTANT! This story has been DISCONTINUED!*
1. Changes and Elevators

Author's Note: This story contains two OC's, Ludwig's kids. They will appear a handful of times, so if you don't like OC's at all, I suggest you go away. They are not a main focus though. Also, Bella is Belgium. I have no idea how to write her, but I tried my best with the short description I got in Hetalia Volume 3. Anyways, welcome to my first fanfiction. I hope you like it!

"Ludwig, be a dear and take the trash out for me!" Bella, Ludwig's wife, called out to him.

"I will, in just a moment," Ludwig replied, going into the kitchen to grab the trash.

When he arrived back, Bella called out to him, "Thanks. Hey, could you put the kids to bed tonight? I have to do the dishes and a few other things."

Ludwig, on his way out of the kitchen at that point, turned to face Bella and gave a curt nod before leaving the room. When he got inside, he noted that it was 7:30; time to put the kids to bed.

"Mary, John, it's time for bed!" he yelled for his children, and in a matter of moments he saw two small bodies appear in front of him.

The boy, who was slightly taller than his sister moaned, "But Dad! I'm not tired!" The girl gave a nod, agreeing with what her brother said.

Ludwig, who was usually a very stoic and serious person, whispered to his children, "I know, but if you don't go to bed now, mom might be upset." Taking a glance around the room, he continued, "We don't want that to happen, now do we?"

Mary and John's eyes lit up as they looked at each other before they scurried off to their bedrooms. Ludwig chuckled as he tucked each one in, saying goodnight before leaving the room.

When he finished, he heard Bella say, "Ludwig, come and watch TV with me!" Ludwig walked into the living room and sat down on the couch to watch some television with Bella.

After watching for a while, Bella looked at Ludwig and said to him, "Can I ask you a question Ludwig?" He nodded, waiting to see what his wife was going to ask. She simply stated, "Ludwig, do you still love me?"

Taken a bit aback by her question, Ludwig hastily answered, "Of course I love you! I wouldn't be with you if I didn't." Giving her a quick peck on the cheek, he quietly repeated, "I wouldn't be with you if I didn't love you…"

She smiled at his words. "I know Ludwig. I just wonder sometimes. I don't know, I'm probably just being paranoid." She kissed Ludwig and said, "I'm tired. I'm going to go to bed." Ludwig got up and followed suit.

Ludwig went through his normal morning routine, getting ready for work and such, when his wife came in.

"Ludwig, I'm going to take the kids to school now. I'll see you after work." Bella kissed Ludwig on the cheek and quickly said, "Love you, bye." Ludwig noted her haste, but just pushed it aside.

After Ludwig got into the building, he headed for the elevator, as always. However, this morning something different happened. As soon as the doors started to close, he heard a voice call out, "Oh! Sir, could you please hold the door open for me?" He stuck his arm out to keep the doors from closing and a small man, who could be mistaken for a boy if not for the suit, ran in and started thanking him. "Thank you so much! Not many people hold the door open anymore it seems! I wonder why that is? Oh, hey, look! I'm on the same floor as you! I wonder why I never noticed you! I'm Feliciano Vargas." The seemingly never-ending bundle of energy stuck out his hand.

Ludwig, taking a split second to gather his bearings after the onslaught of talking, shook his hand and introduced himself, "Ludwig Beilschmidt. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The elevator doors then opened, and Feliciano ran off without saying another word. Shaking his head, Ludwig got out and walked away, wondering if he'd see the over enthusiastic man again.

The rest of the day went by relatively normally, save for another encounter with Feliciano.

"Look, Lovi, there's Ludwig! It's that guy I was talking about, the one who held the elevator door open for me!" Feliciano said it as if it was the single nicest thing a person could ever do for someone.

The other one, seemingly named Lovi, simply rolled his eyes and said, "Geez, just go up and talk to him if you want to."

Feliciano turned to Ludwig and walked up to him, appearing to not have noticed that he had been able to hear their brief conversation. "Ah, Ludwig, wait up!" he called out. Ludwig stopped and turned around as Feliciano smiled and said, "It's a surprise to run into you like this!"

Ludwig nodded and told Feliciano, "I'd love to stay and chat, but my wife and kids are waiting for me."

Feliciano's eyes widened at the comment, and asked Ludwig, "How old are you?"

"30. My kids are 5 and 4. I have a boy and a girl." Ludwig thought for a moment. "I guess I got married young…"

Feliciano smiled and replied, "I'm 28!" Ludwig nodded, even though Feliciano seemed a lot younger than that. However, after the day he had been having, it seemed nothing much more could faze him.

"C'mon, Feli, he has a wife and kids! We should get going, leave the bastard to himself." Lovi dragged Feliciano off and yelled to Ludwig, "I'm Lovino Vargas, stay away from my brother! Got it, bastard?"

Ludwig, for the second time today, processed what had just happened before he gathered himself together. He headed for the elevator, ready to head home.

"I'm home!" Ludwig called out, looking around for Bella or the kids.

"We're in the living room, Ludwig! You have guests!" He heard Bella sigh, and he immediately understood. Whenever he had guests, it was usually his older brother, Gilbert, and his boyfriend,

Roderich Edelstein. Sure enough, when he entered the room, his older brother and Roderich were there.

"Yo! Luddy! It's good to see you! It's been far too long!" Gilbert went over and gave Ludwig a hug. Whenever people found out that it was Gilbert who was 6 years older than Ludwig, they didn't usually believe them, even though it was true. "Geez, you're home kind of late! What caused the holdup?" Knowing his brother so well, Gilbert could often tell when Ludwig was later than usual because of his usually rigid schedule.

"I held the elevator for a man in the morning, and we talked for a bit. He ended up coming up to me later and chatted for a bit before he was dragged away by his brother. He was quite the unforgettable character. I believe his name was Feliciano Vargas."

At this, Roderich, who was previously quietly chatting with Bella while still eavesdropping on Ludwig and Gilbert's conversation, quickly turned to face them and exclaimed, "Wait, who?"

Ludwig was shocked for the third time that day, seeing as how Roderich rarely raised his voice unless yelling at Gilbert. Ludwig repeated, "Feliciano Vargas. Do you know him?"

"Ah, I apologize for my sudden outburst. I knew him when I was younger; my parents were foster parents for him, and I think his brother was taken in by Antonio's parents. They both were adopted eventually, but they both stay in contact with us." Roderich paused for a moment before continuing, "I'm not surprised you ran into him; that man seems to be everywhere. He's a nice person, despite his spacey exterior."

There was a brief pause before Bella pointed out, "Hey, the kids are in the other room. I'm sure they'd like to say hi. Do you two want to stay for dinner?"

Gilbert was about to yell out an answer, but Roderich put a hand over Gilbert's mouth and simply nodded.

"Wonderful! I'll get the kids and then start on dinner," said Bella, standing up from her spot and walking into the next room.

"Uncle Gilbert!" John shouted out before running over to Gilbert and giving him a high-five.

"Uncle Roddy!" Mary exclaimed and proceeded to run over to Roderich, embracing him in a hug.

"Dad!" They both exclaimed almost simultaneously as they ran over to Ludwig and were scooped up into his arms.

"So, your uncles get noticed before me?" Ludwig chuckled slightly and set them down.

Looking a bit sheepish, Mary pointed out, "But we see you every day, Dad! We don't see Uncle Gilbert or Uncle Roddy as much!"

"Hey, Specs, why do I get in trouble when I call you Roddy, but when the brats do they get off scotch free?" Gilbert, being curious, asked Roderich.

"It's obviously because they're children and you're an adult - well, at least to some extent," Roderich blatantly explained before continuing, "Also, I've told you a million times not to call me Specs!"

"John, Mary, go see if mom needs help setting the table, okay?" They both nodded at their father's words and went off to help Bella.

"Luddy, you should totally go out drinking with us soon!" Ludwig was flabbergasted by what Gilbert said.

"Gilbert, I'm married with kids. I can't just drop everything and go out drinking anymore. I'm sorry," Ludwig tried to explain to the ever-immature Gilbert.

"So? Just get the brats a babysitter! Then you and Bella can come out!"

Ludwig was about to give a negative answer, but Bella stuck her head out and said, "You know what? I overheard your conversation, and I could use a night out. Ludwig, it seems like we haven't really gone out since we had kids. It wouldn't hurt to loosen up for once."

Ludwig thought for a moment before begrudgingly replying, "Fine, Bella. I guess I can't argue with that. However, you have to find a babysitter for the kids." Turning to Gilbert, he asked, "Where and when?"

Gilbert cackled and wrote down some directions and a time on a piece of paper. "Yes! We finally got that stick out of Luddy's…" He was cut off by Ludwig's grunt, and he noticed the kids peeking into the room. He started again, "Butt. We got the stick out of his butt."

"Dinner's ready!" Bella called out, and everyone walked over to the kitchen to start eating. The rest of the night was relatively normal.

The next couple of days following up to the bar visit set a new normal for Ludwig. Get to work, hold the elevator for Feliciano, just chat for a bit before parting ways, then talk for a bit after work before either Ludwig realized he had to leave or, in most cases, Feliciano was dragged off by Lovino. It gave him a chance for something different in his otherwise monotonous life. He never knew what the Italian was going to say next. It was nice, having something to look forward too.

The day of the bar came, and after work Feliciano came up to him and said, "Luddy! I'm looking forward to seeing you out of work!" Over time, Feliciano became more comfortable with Ludwig and started to refer to him in a more casual way.

"Oh, did Gilbert invite you? I didn't know; he didn't tell me who was coming." Feliciano nodded at Ludwig's question. "I'm looking forward to seeing you also. My wife, Bella, is coming, too."

At this, Feliciano's usually happy demeanor dampened. "Oh? Your wife's coming? It'll be nice to meet her, I guess."

Ludwig was confused by this. Why was Feliciano so put off by this news? "Why wouldn't you think my wife would come? She's a pleasant person, I'm sure you'll like her."

Feliciano shrugged. "I don't know. I thought she would stay home and watch the kids or something like that. Gilbert doesn't usually invite other women whenever we go out to the bar… I mean, the only reason Elizaveta comes is because Roderich forces Gilbert to invite her."

"Well, that's no reason to be rude. I have to go. I'll see you tonight then."

Before Ludwig could walk off, Feliciano interjected, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to sound rude! Please don't hate me!"

Ludwig smiled and said, "Feliciano, I couldn't hate you if I tried." Feliciano instantly perked up at this. "Goodbye, Feliciano, see you tonight."

"Bye, Luddy!"

Ludwig went home and started to get ready for the night at the bar.


	2. Bars and Goodbyes

Author's Note: Chapter 2! It would be up sooner, but I pen everything down first and typing is such a pain. Anyhow, I'm going on vacation from tomorrow to the 29th, so don't expect any updates. Sorry! I promise one when I get back though, and maybe a new story. I'm going to Canada, it's a yearly thing. Anyhow, on with the story! Ludwig and Bella's relationship really starts to fall apart in this chapter. And before I forget: Disclaimer! I don't own anything in this story except the paper it was written on and the computer it was typed up on!

When Ludwig and Bella got to the bar, Ludwig recognized all of the faces there. There were the usual faces, such as Gilbert, Roderich, and Roderich's ex, Elizaveta Hédévary. There were also Gilbert's obnoxious friends, Francis Bonnefoy and Antonio Fernandez Carriedo. His eyes then wandered over to Feliciano and Lovino; he saw Feliciano smile at him while Lovino just glared.

"Bella, I'd like you to meet Feliciano and Lovino Vargas." Ludwig motioned towards said people. Bella already knew everyone else, and he felt that introducing her to Feliciano would be polite. He was worried on how Feliciano would react based on his attitude towards her earlier in the day.

"Ah, Ludwig's wife is so pretty! It's a pleasure to finally meet you! Ludwig has told me so many things about you; all positive I can assure you!" Feliciano smiled and hugged her, and Bella had a blank expression on her face, as if she didn't quite know what to do in return.

"It's a, um, pleasure to meet you, too," Bella said to Feliciano, slightly pushing him away. She smiled, and continued on, "Ludwig always talks about the conversations you two have. It's nice to see him interested in something outside of the house for a change."

Feliciano's smile only widened at this comment, and he sat back down.

Gilbert then butted in, yelling out, "Great! The formalities are over! Now, let's all get smashed!"

Smashed was an understatement. Completely wasted was a better way to describe everyone except Ludwig and Roderich at the end of the night. Gilbert was trying to coerce Roderich into, in his words, "Leave this bar and go have some fun!" He tried to yank him away, but Roderich was having none of it. Francis had left earlier with what looked like a girl who had short, wavy blonde hair. Antonio was hitting on Lovino with minor success, Lovino stopping him every so often to curse him out.

Feliciano was clinging to Ludwig, and Ludwig turned a bright red when he heard Feliciano go, "Luddy!" He snuggled in closer, saying, "Mm… You're so warm!"

Feliciano then giggled, and Ludwig pointed out, "Feliciano, you're drunk. You should probably leave soon before you do something you regret."

"But I don't want to! This is the first time I get to see Luddy out of work! I like Luddy a lot! But he's already married..." Feliciano sighed.

Ludwig quickly pushed away Feliciano and flushed even harder. He noticed that it was nearing midnight, so after he calmed himself down, he went to search for Bella.

"I mean, I feel like he doesn't even notice me! It's like I'm just sort of there, you know what I mean? Like I'm just extra baggage in his life." Bella hiccupped, explaining her woes to Elizaveta.

Ludwig was worried, hoping that Bella wasn't talking about him. Approaching his wife, Ludwig nudged her. She rubbed her eyes as he said, "Bella, dear, it's about midnight. We should probably get going."

Bella, seemingly calmed down, nodded. They went to say their goodbyes and left. However, before leaving, Ludwig saw Elizaveta slip Bella a piece of paper and say something he couldn't hear to her.

When they got home, Ludwig paid the babysitter and made sure the kids were in bed and asleep. While Ludwig was doing this, Bella, being as drunk as she was, flopped down on the bed.

"Ludwig, we haven't done it in a while." She pulled Ludwig down, sloppily trying to kiss him. "I love you, Ludwig. Do you love me?" Bella looked at Ludwig expectantly.

"Bella, I love you, but you're drunk. You should probably just get some sleep, okay?" Ludwig sighed.

Bella looked like she was about to cry. "You hate me, don't you? All you do is just make fun of me! Laugh, I say, laugh! Yuk it up! Just make fun of me all you want! You're just so smitten with that little bratty Italian! He was all over you tonight! Just go be with him!" She was laughing and crying at the same time.

Ludwig, unsure of what to do about his wife's hysterics, tried his best to comfort her. "Bella, I love you. I can't stress that enough. You're just tired, and I didn't like having Feliciano all over me. I yanked him off as soon as I saw you crying. C'mon, let's go to bed. We're both probably overly tired. You'll feel better in the morning."

Bella laughed again. "You say you pulled him off 'as soon as you saw me crying'? What about before that?" She was fuming.

"I didn't know how to say to a drunk, clingy man, 'Please get off me. You are invading my space', without sounding like a complete asshole. But I promise you, Bella, you're the most important person in my life." Ludwig smiled as he hugged his wife.

Bella seemed to have calmed down at this. "I guess I understand. But do you really mean it, Ludwig?" He nodded, as Bella continued, "Okay. I'm tired. Can we go to bed?"

In the morning, as Ludwig left for work, he tried to give Bella her good-bye kiss, but today she seemed to shy away. Ludwig was concerned, but understood, figuring it was because of what happened last night. He was still concerned, though. He loved Bella and Bella loved him. Right?

He mulled over his wife's words from last night a bit longer, but when he saw Feliciano, he plastered on a smile for him. It was odd, as his variable in his constant life eventually became a constant in his now unstable life.

Once they got on the elevator, Feliciano asked, "Luddy, what's wrong?" Feliciano asked, and Ludwig realized the man quickly saw through his façade.

"Ah, it's just Bella and I. I'm not sure what happened. I guess it's just that we're treading on thin ice. We got into a bit of an argument last night." Ludwig sighed.

Feliciano looked sympathetic. "I'm sorry to hear that. I, um, hope you and Bella patch things up."

Ludwig noted his words sounded a bit forced. He remembered that he wanted to ask Feliciano about last night, so he did. "Feliciano, I was wondering about what you were doing at the bar last night. It was a bit odd."

At this, Feliciano blushed and was about to answer, but just as he was about to speak, the elevator doors opened and he bolted off.

Ludwig frowned, upset that Feliciano ran off so fast. However, he figured that he could talk to him after work. If he could find him, that is. His mind set on this, he went off to continue his day.

After work, Ludwig tracked down Feliciano before he could leave. Grabbing Feliciano's shoulder, he squeaked and turned around. "Oh! Ludwig! I didn't notice it was you!"

Looking serious, Ludwig asked Feliciano, "Why did you run away today? Don't give me an answer like, 'I was going to be late!' We got off when we usually do."

Looking a bit sheepish, Feliciano explained, "Well, you see, I don't really remember anything from last night. I drank a bit much last night, and that usually happens when I do. I was just worried I really messed up our relationship…"

Ludwig was quiet a moment before smiling. He simply replied, "Feliciano, I told you yesterday that I couldn't hate you if I tried. I was being honest when I said this. You didn't do anything to jeopardize our relationship." Ludwig, while saying this, was going through internal conflict. He was worried. He was telling the truth, but it concerned him that Feliciano's touchy-feely act last night didn't bother him as much as he thought it should have.

"Oh! Luddy, I'm so glad! You have no idea!" Grinning widely, Feliciano ran off, presumably to find his brother, who was usually lurking around somewhere. He waved before proceeding to leave for home.

When Ludwig arrived home, Bella was sitting in the kitchen, looking a bit nervous. "Ludwig, I think I'm going to go and stay at my brother's for a few days. Could you use some of your vacation time to watch the kids?"

Caught on the spot, Ludwig stuttered out, "Ah, um, sure. Are you going to leave tomorrow? I'll need to talk to my boss."

She nodded, "Yeah, I'll cook dinner and then leave. I'll explain to the kids that Lars got in some trouble or something and that I need to go see him."

Ludwig didn't particularly like Bella's brother, as he had gotten in trouble with the law for possession of different types of drugs. They had both agreed that on the rare occasions when they visited him that the kids would stay at home.

"How long will you need?"

"3 days. Just the rest of the week, that should be enough."

"Okay." Ludwig simply gave that one word reply and the conversation was over.

After work the next day, Feliciano ran up to Ludwig and said, "Hey! Luddy! I saw you talking to the boss today when I was looking for you! What was that all about?"

Pushing aside the fact that Feliciano was looking for him, Ludwig replied, "My wife's going to her brother's for a few days, so I had to take some time off of work because the kids only do half-days."

Feliciano looked sympathetic and replied, "Oh, that's too bad! If you wanted, I could come over one day and help cook and stuff!"

"I think I'll take you up on that order. Gilbert and Roderich are coming over tomorrow, and Bella's leaving after dinner tonight, so you can come the day after tomorrow." Ludwig looked around for a pen and paper and quickly jotted down his address and phone number. "Here, my address is on this paper, so you can go ahead and come over after you finish work. My number's also on there if you need anything or if you get lost. Anyhow, I have to go now. Goodbye, Feliciano!"

"Bye, Ludwig! See you in a couple of days!" Feliciano waved to Ludwig, and Ludwig saw Feliciano diligently reading over the paper he gave to him before he left.


	3. Talks and Tears

Ludwig was bored. After he had dropped the kids off, there was absolutely nothing to do but read a book he'd already read multiple times. Work usually provided a way to do something productive, but there wasn't much for him to do since he was at home alone. Ludwig didn't particularly enjoy using the television or computer. His house was already immaculate, so there was no need to clean. So read he did, until it was time to pick up the kids.

A few hours later, it was finally time for Ludwig to pick up the kids. Ludwig got into his car and started driving to the preschool that his daughter went to. While driving, he thought about how the next time Bella complains that she's bored of doing nothing but sitting around the house all day, he'll definitely take her out somewhere. He wonders how she puts up with doing nothing all day.

After making sure Mary was secured in the back, he climbed into the driver's seat and started driving to John's kindergarten school.

"So, Mary, how was your day at school?"

"It was really fun! Ms. B. read us a book. It was a really cool story! It was about a girl who goes blueberry pickin'! I don't remember what it was called, but it was really good. It had 'Sal' somethin' in it!"

Ludwig chuckled and said, "Well, I'm sure it was a great book. My day was boring. I wonder how your mom gets through the day."

Mary quickly replied, "Mom can use the TV, and you can't, Dad!" she giggled, "Dad, you need to learn how to use the TV better!"

"Hmm, I guess you're right," Ludwig simply replied.

The rest of the drive was relatively quiet, save for when Mary would start talking about her day.

Arriving at the school, John ran up to his father and hugged him, Ludwig hugging him back just as eagerly. They walked back to the car, Ludwig helping John in his seat.

"How was your day, John?"

"Boring! It was just a regular school day!"

"Oh, come on, there had to be more to it!" Ludwig verbally nudged John to say more about his day.

John, still as stubborn as before, said, "Nope! It was really boring."

"Fine, don't tell me then. Anyways, Uncle Roderich and Uncle Gilbert are coming over tonight, be sure to be on your best behavior."

The kids' eyes lit up and John, grinning, said, "We will! I promise!"

Mary, with wide eyes, asked, "Is Uncle Roddy bringin' a cake? I really love his cakes! They're yummy!"

"I'm not sure. I guess we'll just have to wait and see." Ludwig actually did know; Roderich had insisted on bringing a cake. Ludwig guessed it was either to show off or because the kids loved him. Now that he thought about it, it was probably a mixture of the two.

Later that day, Ludwig was going over everything, making sure that everything was cooking fine, that the house was as clean as it could be, that the table was set, and anything else that he couldn't think of off the top of his head. Then, he heard the doorbell ring.

"Just a moment, I'm coming!"

Ludwig rushed to the door, and upon opening it, Gilbert smothered him in a bear hug. "Luddy! I'm so glad to be here!"

Ludwig awkwardly hugged Gilbert back and after the hug broke, Roderich said, "Hello Ludwig. It's a pleasure to be here." He quickly shoved something into Ludwig's arms. "It's the cake I promised I'd bake."

Ludwig quickly said thanks and turned around to put the cake in the kitchen when he saw the kids peek into the room. "John, Mary, why are you hiding in the doorway? Come in and say, 'Hi'."

Gilbert chuckled and burst out saying, "Ah, the little brats are hiding! It's good to see you two!" Gilbert picked up the kids, while Roderich stood by chuckling and Ludwig put the cake in the kitchen.

When Gilbert put down the kids, Roderich bent down and said, "Hello John, hello Mary. I'm glad to be here and to see you."

Mary said, "I'm glad to see you too, Uncle Roddy!"

John smiled up at Roderich, going, "Me too! And, um, was that a cake you brought in?"

"Yes, it was," Roderich answered John, "I made it because I know how much you like them."

The kids giggled and sat on the couch, Mary saying, "Thank you, Uncle Roddy!"

Everyone ended up settling on the couch and chatting for a bit, Ludwig getting up every so often to check on the food. He eventually yelled, "Dinner's ready!"

The rest of the household flocked to the kitchen. Once they arrived there, Roderich and Gilbert's eyes widened. Gilbert exclaimed, "Whoa! Luddy, you made all this? But you hate cooking!"

"Ah, it's nothing much. Bella usually cooks, so it didn't bother me much."

The conversation was over, and soon all you could hear was the sound of chairs squeaking and people eating.

Throughout dinner there was idle chit-chit, but Ludwig had a sinking feeling in his stomach that Gilbert and Roderich would bombard him with questions about Feliciano, Bella, and him. Tonight was going to be a long night.

"Ludwig, that was delicious! It's a shame you don't particularly enjoy cooking, you're good at it." Roderich paused, looking confused for a moment asking, "Gilbert's an absolute horror in the kitchen, so how in the world did you learn how to cook?"

"Gilbert was always awful in the kitchen, and our grandfather was out a lot when we got older, so I usually manned the kitchen."

"That's right! Luddy's great in the kitchen; it's a shame he hates everything to do with them!"

Suddenly, Ludwig felt someone tugging on his sleeve. Looking down, he saw Mary yawing and asking, "Dad, I'm tired. Can you put me to bed?"

Looking at the clock, he saw it was nearing nine, way after the kid's usual bedtime. "Of course. John, it's time for bed for you, too."

"But Dad! I'm not tired!"

"Doesn't matter, it is way past your bedtime. C'mon you two." Turning to Roderich and Gilbert, he said, "I have to put the kids to bed and do the dishes after that. I hope you two don't mind waiting for a bit."

"Ludwig, you just worry about the kids. Gilbert and I will do the dishes. Right, Gilbert?" Roderich glared at the albino, nudging him slightly on the arm.

Gilbert sighed and said, "Fine. You go put the kids to bed. We'll do the dishes."

Ushering the kids out of the room, Ludwig quickly gave thanks and went to tuck the kids in. After doing so, he went to the living room and found Roderich and Gilbert sitting there.

Roderich was the first one to speak. "Ludwig, we need to talk about your relationship with Bella. Your relationship with Feliciano, too."

"Fuck. It's like a bad sitcom." Ludwig sighed and sat down. "Lay it on me. What am I doing wrong in my life?"

"Luddy, I don't want to sound like a hard-ass like Specs over there, but, dude, Feliciano was all over you at the bar! You didn't even try to pry him off! Bella was crying, Ludwig! For Pete's sake, Luddy, you don't let someone cling to you when your wife is crying!"

Ludwig was stunned. Gilbert was unusually serious; he didn't usually fly off the handle like that. "Look, when I started to feel uncomfortable, I yanked him off. I had no idea Bella was crying. As soon as I saw her crying, we left and I tried to talk to her."

"Bella's your wife. You should have been around her the whole time. Feliciano, at least right now, is just a friend. Your significant other should always have top priority over a friend." Roderich glared at Ludwig so fiercely that it could burn a hole through him.

"I… I guess you're right. It's just that Feliciano… he makes me…" Ludwig searched for a word, "Happy. He makes me happy in a way Bella never really did. I… Maybe… Maybe rushing into marriage with Bella was a mistake."

Then, Ludwig did something he hadn't done in what felt like years. He cried. Roderich never having seen him cry, so he stood there, shell-shocked. Gilbert, having dealt with this a few times, said, "Ludwig, look at me." He did. "You made a mistake. It happens. I'm not going to say that this isn't a big deal, because it is. But if you think that Bella is truly the one, you have to go and get her. If you don't, you aren't helping anyone by staying with her."

Ludwig muttered out between sniffles, "She… She's not the one. We've been having problems lately." He took a deep breath and continued, "I guess I just refused to realize it… Hell, Bella probably left because she needed to get away from me. No wonder she was crying. She was talking about how there really wasn't any love left in our relationship." He put his face in his hands and whispered, "There might not have been any to begin with."

Roderich finally said something. "Ludwig, that's just not true. Elizaveta and I, we thought we were as happy as could be. But we found out that we were just sort of going through the motions. I can relate a lot more than you think. I just think you need some time to sort out your feelings."

"I don't have time to," was all Ludwig said in reply.

"What? Why?" Gilbert asked.

"Feliciano's coming over tomorrow. I told him about Bella leaving and he offered to come over and help cook. I couldn't just say no!"

There was a silence for a minute before Gilbert said, "I think that might be good, though. See how you feel around him. Don't compare him to Bella, just act like yourself and see how the night goes." Gilbert smirked for a second before continuing, "Just remember, you're still a married man! Fooling around with him is still adultery!"

A beat passed before Roderich smacked Gilbert upside the head. Ludwig laughed through his tears, saying, "No, I needed that. Gilbert, you know just the wrong things to say at the wrong time." Gilbert pouted at Ludwig's statement. "Gilbert, with all that's going on, I really am glad to have you. Same with you, Roderich. I don't say this much, but, Gilbert, I just wanted to let you know that I love you." Gilbert looked stunned, as Ludwig crying was one thing, but just letting it out was something the man almost never did. "I don't know what I'd do without you two."

"We love you, too, Ludwig. And don't forget that we're always there for you, bro," Gilbert said. Then, after a moment of silence, he said, "Well, now that that's over, who wants to go and eat some more of Specs's delectable cake?"

Roderich glared at Gilbert for ruining the moment, but Ludwig merely stood up and said, "That sounds good to me. I could use a slice of cake right now."


	4. Discontinued? Why?

Um, so yeah, I'm discontinuing this fanfiction. Since I've started this I've grown out of the Hetalia fandom, and my interest in the fandom and ideas for this fandom have a huge correlation. I hate to leave it like this, but I'm not going to continue writing this one.

I'm not exactly sure if this is proper or whatever, but if ANYONE wants to continue/rewrite _Off the Track _they are more than welcome to do so!

I hate to leave you hanging, and if anyone wants to know where I was PLANNING to go with the story they're more than welcome to ask.

But this one's down for the count with me. I'm extremely sorry, but this one's a goner.


End file.
